Modern Classic: 1955-62 MGA

To qualify as "modern classics," we're choosing vehicles that are comparatively affordable now and that we think will increase in value over time. These are cars that many people would love to have: head-turners, trend-setters in their time, cars that people still see that make them smile, cars that were definitive in their own right, stylish and fun to drive. We're focusing on cars that are at least 25 years old so they can be registered and insured cheaply and aren't subject to annual inspections.


Tastes may vary, as may people's own definitions of "affordable." Our theoretical limit is $50,000 for a car in good to excellent condition, which rules out many of the traditional exotics. This month's selection is the MGA.

History
Although the square-rigged 1954 MG TF was long in the tooth compared to its rival TR3, Healey 100 and Jag XK120, marque loyalists were shocked a year later when the sleek MGA appeared. Overcoming the diehards' objections, the first all-new MG in decades, developed from a streamlined 1951 TD-based Le Mans entry, was a superior performer that quickly reversed MG's sales decline. The MGA could have been launched earlier, but British Motor Corporation (BMC) chief Leonard Lord, whose company bought MG in the early 1950s, had been reluctant to introduce a model that could cannibalize sales of the BMC-built Austin-Healey.


The MGA got its name because the company's contemporary sedan, the MGZ Magnette, had effectively "used up" the alphabet. The new A's contemporary steel body, with aluminum hood, doors and deck, was mounted on a sturdy box-section frame. BMC tried to usurp as many components as possible. The TF Midget contributed its independent coil-spring front suspension; the Magnette provided the A's live rear axle, drum brakes and rack-and-pinion steering. To save money, the floorboards were still made of wood.


Powering the MGA was the Magnette's 60-bhp, 1489 cc BMC "B" Series pushrod four upgraded to 68 bhp with 8.3:1 compression and twin SU carburetors. Its 95-mph top speed helped the streamlined newcomer to be faster than any stock T-Series model. Progressive tuning raised power to 72 bhp.